


The 168-Hour Shift

by QueenofStarChildren



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: (and well aware that Pearl is perfectly capable of kicking her own asses), A week after Battle of Heart and Mind, Bismuth is protective, F/F, Fluff, Jasper/Bismuth rivalry, Kinda, Pearl is tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-19 19:27:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20662478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenofStarChildren/pseuds/QueenofStarChildren
Summary: Pearl hasn’t had a break since the events of “Battle of Heart and Mind”. She just wants to tune out the world until it comes looking for her (in this case it would be Bismuth after a promise to help her with the still half-destroyed house).





	The 168-Hour Shift

**Author's Note:**

> ~The living room is mostly intact after Battle of Heart and Mind, just the kitchen is destroyed and there might just be a tarp as the roof~

When Pearl warped back, she knew Bismuth would be waiting for her somewhere on the promise that when she got back she would help her with rebuilding the house. However, she had made that promise before leaving. Her legs moving like lead and her mind full of molasses, it wasn’t a surprise when she found herself at the side of the couch (she distantly wondered if it had been saved from the wreckage unscathed, or if Bismuth had rebuilt an exact copy somehow without ever properly looking at it).

Jasper looked over the book she had been reading reclined on said couch, lowering it to examine her fatigued state. Her eyebrow raised, stony expression unchanging. Pearl didn’t care to hear how terrible she looked; if it were anything like how she felt, she must look awful.

Either way, the only thing she wanted was to lay down and tune out the world until it came looking for her. She collapsed on top of Jasper, satisfied when she moved the book and accepted the embrace stiffly(or at least didn’t reject it). Pearls arms moved around her body, holding her tight.

“What is this?” Jasper asked as Pearl burrowed her face into her stomach.

“Affection,” she murmured, muffled because she didn’t want to move. Jasper didn’t say anything more, instead moving the book to lean against Pearls back. Reading again.

It was the one thing she could do. After coming to terms with Pink Diamond, she’d been trapped in the living room without anywhere else to go — not able to connect with soldiers from the other side of the war, and yet unable to leave without some reasons as to why all of this had happened.

Pearl wanted to give her all the answers, she did. In fact they had connected fairly well after one night of explanations, but it was hard when she was still trying to figure them out for herself. She sighed. Why did Rose always have to make everything so difficult?

“Tough day with White Diamond’s Pearl?” Jaspers voice rumbled soothingly against her temple.

She’d been trying for days to break the Pearl out of her Homeworld conditioning. She was so focused on finding their Diamond that it was like talking to a machine. It was sad seeing a Pearl like that. At first the pink Pearl had been so quiet listening to the stories of Rose and Steven and finally White Diamond. But today had been insistent denials that her Diamond was gone and angry demands to be returned to her.

“She still hasn’t grasped the idea that Pink Diamond is gone and that she’s been controlled for thousands of years…

“And don’t call her that, she doesn’t belong to anybody.” She said tiredly.

“Oh, so she has a name now?” Her cheeks burned. She hoped Jasper couldn’t see it.

“N-no—”

“Then what should I call her?” Pearl tried to think through the fog in her brain. It couldn’t be ‘White Pearl’ as the gem in question was now Pink, and ‘Pink Pearl’ would just confuse her into thinking she was still Pink Diamonds. Just ‘Pearl’ belonged to yours truly, and ‘Pink’ might have the same connotations that ‘Pink Pearl’ has. She groaned, frustrated.

“I don’t know,” she looked up for the first time, Jasper was still reading, or at least didn’t look away from the pages. Pearl laid her head back down, this time examining the fabric of the couch, “I was hoping after I’ve gotten through to her she could pick out her own name. Become her own gem. Steven could help her with names...if we ever have a break through.” She closed her eyes. One way or another she’d have to stop thinking of her as ‘the Pearl’ and get her a proper name.

“You helped me,” Jasper said offhandedly, “...maybe...I could come with you tomorrow...you know, tell her some things that helped me.” She looked to Jaspers face, trying to catch her eye and decide if she was serious.

“Really? You’ll come and talk to her with me?”

Jasper nodded her head, “Yeah. If you want me to.”

She laughed, dropping her head back into Jasper’s stomach. “Heh, okay...that’s—that’s good.” She gave her a squeeze, “thank you.” She heard the book shut and Jaspers left hand came hesitantly to rest on her back.

“Yeah…if you need anything else—” Jasper whispered.

“Just hold me…” she murmured back.

One less thing to worry about. That left Pearl with the exhaustion. Bismuth hadn’t come to recruit her yet, so she could stay here a little while longer. Just for a few more minutes.

Jasper was so warm. Bismuth must have rebuilt the sofa, she didn’t remember it being this comfortable before. The sound of page turning reached her ears, something was brushing against wood a distance away. She let her muscles relax, her eyes closed, melting into her makeshift bed.

….

“Alright you Gems, who’s ready to get down t—“ Bismuth burst through the front door, halfway to returning her right hand back from its hammer form, when she saw Pearl, unconscious, laying on Jasper. Oh, she was definitely going to need this hammer…

“What’s going on here?” She didn’t lower her voice, tapping the weapon into her left palm threateningly.

“Not my idea,” the gem didn’t look at her, sounding like she was bored, not even looking up from her book.

This gem rubbed her the wrong way. Maybe it was the war’s influence, or the quartz’s arrogance, she didn’t know and she didn’t very well care. All she knew was that Pearl had grown awfully close to someone that had been an enemy from day one and she didn’t like it.

“Better not be,” she growled, scanning Pearls body for injuries.

“It wasn’t.” She said harshly, finally raising her head. Pearl shifted in her sleep. They both looked down at her, Jasper moving her thumb across her back. “Pearl’s had a tiring day,” she turned back to her book, “let’s let her rest.”

Bismuth bristled. She glared at the large gem, who clearly had more pressing matters to keep her attention rather than a lowly Bismuth like herself. She should punch this Gems lights out! No one talks to her about her friends like that, they’re her friends! She filled her lungs up with air until she could hold no more.

“Jasper…” Pearl mumbled in her sleep, snuggling closer to the brute?!

Although she didn’t move her head, Bismuth could have sworn she saw the corner of Jasper’s lips curve up. Oooh she wanted to punch that smug look off her face! But instead of doing something that would wake up Pearl, she threw up her hands, turned back the way she came, and tried not to smash through the door she’d just installed. Shaking the whole way with barely controlled rage.

….

That Bismuth was strangely protective of her Pearl. Jasper turned a page, she was getting near the end. She’d have to ask Steven’s friend Connie for more of these ‘books’ again. She didn’t mind that human’s company.

After Bismuth left she must have thrown a fit because there was a distant crash coming from the direction she went in not long after her departure. Jasper still couldn’t help but feel pleased at making the rainbow gem so infuriated.

Pearl was still sleeping on her; face in her stomach and arms wrapped around her waist. It felt...pleasant. She wouldn’t say that out loud but she actually...l—liked? Pearl.

Not liked, as in adoration— Jasper wasn’t going to do that with anyone anymore. But she respected Pearl. Appreciated the time she dedicated specifically to Jasper. Admired the way she could switch from soft nurturer to cold assassin in an instant. They had bonded over trama given to them by the Diamonds, specifically Pink Diamond.

Perhaps she let Pearl sleep and hold onto her when she was busy reading. Maybe she had voluntarily offered to spend time with Pearl that would not be spent going over Pink Diamond’s actions or her new life on Earth. And yeah, she retaliated instead of letting Bismuth wake, and subsequently take, Pearl. That didn’t mean she was starting to care for her.

Still, the closeness was not unwelcome and she let the sensation fill her. It was nice after hiding and pushing everyone away. Like this was what she was meant for. Funny that she didn’t feel this way on the battlefield she was actually made to be on.

Jasper finished the book, closing it and resting it on the table. How much time had passed? Fifteen—twenty minutes since Bismuth had gone storming off? Enough time for Pearl to be rested anyway.

She should have woken Pearl up. There was nothing compelling Jasper to lay there anymore, she should be wanting to get up and do something. Yet, she found nothing else was more desirable than staying right where she was. Jasper tried to get more comfortable without moving too much. She cautiously placed her other hand on Pearls back and closed her eyes. This was nice.

Her last thoughts were of Bismuth’s face if she found them like this before she drifted off.

“...DOGPILE!?”

“No, no, no! Amethyst DON’T!” Jasper didn’t know how long she’d been asleep for when there was a sudden crashing weight on top of her.

They both groaned. Pearl gave an angry swat at the giant purple animal licking enthusiastically at her face. What? The purple thing must have seen her confusion because it’s head transformed into Amethyst’s.

“Hey, sis!” She said, body still in the form of an Earth creature, an appendage on her backside swinging wildly back and forth. Strange. “Bismuth says she needs your help with the rebuild,” indicating Pearl. Of course she does.

“With what?” Pearl asked, sitting up.

“Dunno, she wouldn’t tell me. Probably thinks I’ll break something again.” Or she just thinks it’ll get Pearl away from her. Clever. Sending someone else to do her dirty work for her.

“Hey what’s that on your face?” Pearl was just reaching up to her cheek when she noticed Amethysts mischievous grin.

“Oh, no, Amethyst...don’t do it!” Pearl warned before her head transformed back and she was lapping at her face again with her tongue. Pearls weight left her as she fled away from the purple beast. Jasper missed it already.

Ok, she thought towards Bismuth, you win this time.

CRASH!

“AMETHYST!”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you’ll forgive me for the typos and OOCness of the characters, but I’m sleep deprived and desperately needed to write something cute and light-hearted and don’t think I have enough energy to care right now.
> 
> If you’re following Pearl Kisses, I haven’t abandoned it. Buuuuut I might have to change a few things in order for it to continue. Thanks for your patience!


End file.
